Sebastian Coates
Sebastian Coates Nion (born 7 October 1990) is a Uruguayan international footballer who played as a defender for Liverpool from 2011 to 2015. Liverpool career Liverpool agreed a deal, believed to be worth around £8,000,000 for highly-rated centre back Coates with Uruguayan club Nacional late in the 2011 summer transfer window. Liverpool officially confirmed the signing on a long-term deal on 30 August 2011. Coates has credited compatriot Luis Suarez with helping to convince him to move to Anfield and upon signing, told the official Liverpool website: "I have left one great club in Nacional and signed for another great club with a fantastic history." The following day, it was announced that Coates would wear the number 16 shirt for the club, vacated by the recently departed Sotirios Kyrgiakos. Coates made his Liverpool debut on 18 September 2011 in an away game against Tottenham Hotspur. Coates was brought on from the substitutes' bench in the 27th minute in place of Daniel Agger who had picked up an injury. Liverpool ultimately lost the match 4-0, after Charlie Adam and Martin Skrtel saw red. Coates was booked in the first half after bringing down Tottenham striker, Emmanuel Adebayor. Three days later, Coates completed his first 90 minutes for the club, playing the duration of Liverpool's 2-1 League Cup away win at Brighton. Coates had to wait until the new year for his first start in the Premier League, when he played the duration of a home game against Stoke on 14 January 2012, which finished 0-0. On 21 March 2012, Coates opened his Liverpool scoring account with a stunning strike away to QPR (below). A Stewart Downing corner was poorly dealt with by the QPR defence and was half-cleared to the edge of the penalty area. Coates met the ball with a sideways scissor kick that rocketed the ball into the back of the net. Unfortunately for Coates and Liverpool, the game would not be one to remember as the Reds surrendered a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 to The Hoops. Coates saw out the 2011-12 season performing only a bit-part role for the club. However on 26 August 2012, with Daniel Agger suspended, new Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers entrusted Coates to partner Martin Skrtel in defence in a home League game against Premier League champions Manchester City. Coates produced a convincing display in the 2-2 draw and in the process, appears to have consolidated his place above Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher in the pecking order as central defensive understudy to Agger and Skrtel. Coates scored his second Liverpool goal on 20 September 2012 in a Europa League tie away to Swiss side Young Boys. Coates netted Liverpool's third in a 5-3 victory with a well-placed header from a corner. However in Liverpool's next Europa League tie- a home match against Udinese- Coates scored an own goal with a header from a free kick that put Udinese 2-1 up on the night. The Italians ultimately won the match 3-2, however Coates had otherwise performed well in the contest. Coates largely failed to trouble the Liverpool first team during the remainder of the season. On 14 August 2013, Coates suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear, putting an end to his 2013-14 season before it even began, with Liverpool intending to send the Uruguayan out on loan. In January 2014, Coates returned to Uruguay with Nacional on loan, to continue his rehabilitation. He returned to compete in Liverpool's 2014-15 season pre-season schedule- and was widely praised for his performances- before sealing a season-long loan switch to Sunderland on 1 September 2014. However, Coates never returned from the loan spell, being sold to Sunderland for a reported fee of £4,000,000. The Uruguayan made 24 appearances for the club, scoring 2 goals. Name Coates' Anglic-sounding surname is due to Scottish ancestry. However in his native Uruguay, his surname would typically be pronounced 'Co-ah-tes.' Honours Liverpool *League Cup: 1 (2012) Stats External links * *Sebastian Coates' profile on liverpoolfc.com * Video Coates' first goal for the club, versus QPR Category:Defenders Category:Former Players